Ballot-pouch.



PATEN'I'ED Nov. 28, 1905.

N. BEMAN.

BALLOT POUCH. APPLIOATiON FILED JUL Y7,

a r .a E 3 m3 2 WW A n m v a J N m z .w M a z I z f2 MW T ing.

UNITED STATES PATENTonnion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed July 7, 1905. Serial No- 268,745.

To all whom it may'concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN BEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Pouches, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to ballot-receptacles; and the object of theinvention is the provision of a flexible device of this nature which iscapable of being conveniently packed and transported either by manuallabor or on horseback and is especially intended for use in mountainousdistricts wherethe'roads are impassable for wheeled vehicles and wherethe various deposited ballots are required to be conveyed to thecounty-seats for recount- A further object of the invention is theprovision of means for safeguarding the ballots within the pouch fromall danger of being tampered with by irresponsible parties without theirhaving to mutilate the receptacle.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, andadaptation of devices, as will be hereinafter described, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a ballotbag embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the metalandadjacent of its periphery is provided with an upwardly-extendinggrooveC, which may advantageously be formed by stamping or flanging thecover first upwardly by a bend C and thence downwardly by a reversebend, thus forming folds Z2 and Z) and between which is inserted theupper marginal edge of the sack. The said cover-folds are each providedwith oppositely-disposed apertures d and d, which are arranged toregister with the perforations of the sack when the edge of the latteris inserted between the said folds. E is a strap or the like, which islaced or passed in and out through the successive said holes of the sackand cover and having adjacent of one of its ends a staple e, adapted tobe passed through and protrude outside of a slot 6', provided in theother end when the strap is in its engaged position, and the ends arecaused to overlap, as plainly shown in the drawings. After being thusconnected the strap may be fastened by a seal or padlock F, connected tosaid staple, to reliably secure the cover in place. The said cover isprovided with a ballot-receiving slot G and beneath which is a flap H,hinged to the cover by a rod I passing respectively through sockets gand h of the cover and flap.

A spring J is coiled about the rod I inter- 7o mediate the hingeconnections h and has its ends extend outwardly in opposite directionsto resiliently press the flap to close the said ballot-slot yetpermitthe depositing of the ballots from the outside as voted. K is astaple connected or formed in the cover and extends downwardly throughan aperture K in the flap H, whereby the flap can be secured by apadlock, by wiring, or by other suitable means after the localinspectors or judges have counted the ballots and returned them to thesack prior to th replacement of thecoverh For convenience in securingthe sack to a horse an eyeletM may be formed or provided at the lowerend of the sack.

The invention is of simple and inexpensive construction and is extremelyuseful in situations such as before alluded to.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A device of the class described, comprisingaflexible sack providedwith a series of apertures positioned in proximity of its'open 9 5 end,a cover for said open end of the sack, said cover being provided with aballot-inserting slot anda series of apertures corresponding to theapertures of the said sack, a strap adapted to be laced in and outthrough the re- I00 spective said apertures of the sack and cover fordetachably securing these parts together, and means for securing saidstrap in its engaged laced position, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described,the combination with the sackhaving a number of lacing-apertures in proximity of its open end, of aslotted cover adapted to close said end and provided With a flangehaving therein a series of apertures corresponding with the apertures ofthe said sack, a lacing-strap, an openable closure for the slot of saidcover,

and detachable means to prevent the opening 'of the said closure,substantially as described. 10

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

NATHAN BEMAN.

Witnesses:

PIERRE BARNES, W. L. FRoss.

